Automatic stacking machine for bars and the like

ABSTRACT

An automatic stacking machine or stacker is provided for stacking bars and various shapes, such as angles, into bundles, preparatory to strapping or tying the bundles, for shipment or storage. The bars are fed singly on power-driven chains against fixed stops, so as to provide a compact layer or charge, which is then transferred by means of pre-charge carriages to a second set of power-driven chains. This second set of chains transfers the charge against a second set of stops, after which the charge is transferred by stacking carriages or magnetic turnover arms onto stacking cradles, to form a bundle of bars. The bundles are strapped or tied together by means of automatic strappers positioned alongside the stacking cradles.

United States Patent ill] 3,880,070

Kaplan 51 Apr. 29, 1975 [5 AUTOMATIC STACKING MACHINE FOR 3.0l8.596l/l9b2 Duorak ct 3| 53/790 B D T LIKE 3.039.585 6/]962 Francis 198/203.075.630 H1963 Flsk 198/37 [75] Inventor: lrvmg Leonard Kaplan. P pp r3.135.070 M904 Hill 100/7 ux Pike. Ohio 3.217.859 ll/l965 Barllo ct .tl198/34 3. 52.2 5 9 3 3 [73] Assignee: Carl Krasny & Associates. Inc.. 79 7 Huhhe" 198/ 4 Cleveland. Ohio Primary Emminer-Billy .I. wmmc Flled:1973 Attorney. Agent. or !-'irm-lsler and Ornstcin [2|] Appl. No.:429.033

Related [5.8. Application Data I57] ABSTRACT [62] Dmsim M 337049- Anautomatic stacking machine or stacker is provided I, for stacking barsand various shapes. such as angles. [5-] U.S. Cl. 100/7; IOU/l4; l98/30;im bundles preparatory to Strapping lying thc 2 P1 2 bundles. forshipment or storage. The bars are fed sin- [5 i] hit. Cl B65!) 13/18 t0" vowel-driven chains against fixed smps $0 as m [58] Search 141214provide a compact layer or charge. which is then -l4/l 7? transferred bymeans of pre-charge carriages to a sec- 323? ond set of power-drivenchains. This second set of chains transfers the charge against a secondset of [56] References and stops. after which the charge is transferredby stacking UNITED STATES PATENTS carriages or magnetic turnover armsonto stacking 1.976.855 |0/|934 McKee ctul. l98/20 cradles. to formbundk 0f bilrs- The bundles 2.63L526 3/1953 Muthey........... IOU/7 Xstrapped or tied together by means of automatic strap- 2.954.863 lO/l960Staples....... Hit/20 pers positioned alongside the stacking cradles.2.956.862 5/l952 Mirfleld l00/7 2.986.262 5/196l Powers wit/29 1 Claim.38 Drawing Figures I A v 1 3: :53

- 44 u es 44 66 sq ---y- 6/ Z l l l F a2 i a? 5 a2 3 I 8 I0 3 a 7 12 I2l2 l2 '2 l 2 I 2 2 I 2 l 2 I 2 I 2 PATENlEnAPazsisis 3.880.070

sum 02 or 1e Isl II-I-I-IIIII-I AI PATENTEUAPRZQIHH SHEET [35F 13PATENTEUAPRZQHYS SHEET UHF 1L3 PATENTEDAPRZSIQIS SHEEI [:SQF 18PATENTEDMRZQIQTS SHEET CSUF 18 FATENTEE APR 2 9 [9?5 SHEET llGF 13EATENTEP APR29 I975 SHEET 130F 18 PMENTEE APR 2 SE91) SHEET 1H3? 18PJJENIEI} APR 2 91975 SHEET ISOF 18 PATENTEBmzsams SHEET 1E 0F 18 57 EngPATENTEDAPRZSIBIS SHEET 1a a? 12,

mm nm AUTOMATIC STACKING MACHINE FOR BARS AND THE LIKE This is adivision of application Ser. No. 337,649, filed Mar. 2, I973.

This invention relates, as indicated. to an automatic stacking machinefor bars and the like.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described having means for automatically accumulating singlebars into a compact row or charge of such bars, to facilitate furtherhandling of the bars.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed embodying precharge carriages for transferring the chargesonto a set of power-driven chains and against a set of stops for furthercompacting.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described embodying stacking carriages for transferring thecharges onto stacking cradles, in which the charges are stacked to formbundles which are strapped for shipment or storage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described having magnetic turnover arms for transferringcertain charges to the stacking cradles.

Other objects and advantages hydraulically my invention will be apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

FIG. I is a plan view of the automatic stacker, with portions thereof atthe right end of the machine omitted, due to limitations of space;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view, on a slight enlarged scale, showingseveral lateral chain transfers, precharge carriages, stackingcarriages, and drives therefore;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but on a somewhat larger scale,showing one of the precharge carriages and one of the stackingcarriages;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the parts shown in FIG. 3, asviewed from the lower end of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, as viewed inthe direction indicated by the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, of the stackingcarriage, in extended position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, of the stacking carriage, asviewed in the direction indicated by the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view, on an enlarged scale. as viewed inthe direction indicated by the line 8-8 of FIG. 3, of the prechargecarriage, in fully extended position;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view showing the powered lateral chaintransfer and magnetic turnover arm;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view showing the fixed stop, disappearingstop, and power positioning stop;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view,talten on the line 11-11of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 12-12of FIG. 10;

FIG. I3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view,.taken on the line 13-13of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view, as viewed in thedirection indicated by the line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. I5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 15-15of FIG. 10;

FIG. I6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 16- I6of FIG. I0;

FIG. I7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 17-17of FIG. I0;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 18-18of FIG. I0;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line I9-I9of FIG. 22;

FIG. 20 is an elevational view, as indicated by the line 20-20 in FIG.I9;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 2l-2Iof FIG. I9;

FIG. 22 is a top plan view, showing one of the magnetic turnover arms;

FIG. 23 is an elevational view, showing the power stacking cradles, asviewed in the direction indicated by the line 23-23 in FIG. I;

FIG. 24 is a top plan view of the power stacking cradles, shown in FIG.23;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 25-25 of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a top plan view of the parts shown in FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a fragmentary view showing the shape sensor device inelevated or raised position;

FIG. 28 is an end elevational view of the shape sensor device in itslowered position;

FIG. 29 is a side elevational view of the stabililzer arm assembly;

FIG. 30 is an end elevational view of the stabilizer arm assembly;

FIG. 3I is an end elevational view of the disc brake;

FIG. 32 is a side elevational view of the disc brake;

FIG. 33 is a fragmentary elevational view of the adjustable side rollsynchronizing shaft, as viewed in the direction indicated by the line33-33 in FIG. 24, with portions broken away to show some of the drivingelements;

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 34-34 of FIG. 33; a

FIG. 35 is an end view of the adjustable side roll;

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 36-36 of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is an end elevational view of the tamping device, and

FIG. 38 is a side elevational view of the tamping device.

For convenience in understanding the invention, the stacker comprisesvarious units or components, which may be generally described as lateralchain transfers,

precharge carriages, stacking carriages, turnover arms,

stacking cradles, fixed stops, disappearing stops, and power positioningstops. These, as well as several other components, will be separatelydescribed.

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of firststops, means for traversing bars to said stops to provide a plurality ofsuch bars in compact side-by-side relation constituting a charge, secondstops disposed downstream of said first stops, means for traversing saidcharge to said second stops for further compacting of said bars,carriage means having an orbital movement in which the charge is liftedfrom said first means, moved forwardly toward said second means,deposited onto said second means, and then returned to their initialposition, third stops disposed downstream of said second stops, andagainst which said charge is positioned by said second means, meansdisposed downstream of said third stops for reCeiving successive chargesof said bars in superimposed relation to provide a bundle of said bars,means for bodily transferring said charge from said second traversingmeans and into said charge-receiving means, said last-named transferringmeans comprising carriages independent of said first carriages andhaving an orbital movement in which the charge is lifted from saidsecond transversing means, moved forwardly toward said charge-receivingmeans, deposited in said charge-receiving means, and then returned totheir initial position, said charge-receiving means consisting of acradle having rolls for moving said bundle in a direction normal to thedirection in which the charges were moved in the course of beingdeposited in said charge-receiving means, said cradles including spacedsets of upright side rolls defining the width of the bundle, one of saidsets being adjustable relatively to the other to vary the space betweensaid sets and therefore the width of the bundle, and means positionedlongitudinally of said cradle for automatically strapping or tying thesuperimposed charges into a unitary bundle of bars.